AN ice cream factory worker who took indecent pictures of a child he met on his computer chat line has been jailed for nine months, suspended for two years.

The girl aged 14 had told 22-year-old Stephen Watkins that she was 16, was fully aware of what was going on and what occurred was a "joint decision." Cardiff Crown court heard.

Watkins, a man with no previous convictions of Wiston Path, Fairwater, Cwmbran, admitted three charges of making indecent pictures of a child, one of distributing indecent picture and one of possessing an indecent picture.

Judge Patrick Curran said the girl had deliberately lied about her age and had regarded uploading an indecent photograph as amusing.

Prosecutor John Ryan said that Gwent Police received an inquiry from an online protection organisation in which they had blocked an indecent image of a girl 14.

The image had been submitted to 3Network to be viewed on a mobile phone for which Watkins would have been paid 12 pence for each image.

The police seized his mobile phone and other images were recovered.

Watkins counsel Marianne Bennett said Watkins was immature and naive and financial gain had not been a factor.

"I accept you didn't intend to cause the girl any harm in what you did but you were aware she was considerably younger than you," said the Judge.

The pictures he said were of the grossest kind and the girl had been subjected to indignity.

A one year supervision order was also imposed.